A Hand-colored Still of One of the Most Famous Shots of the Film
Review of Le Voyage Dans la Lun (A Trip to the Moon)
Despite being known as an innovation and the first true science fiction film, Le Voyage Dans la Lun (1902) by Georges Méliès still suffers from a very primitive understanding of narrative plot. The film starts with a meeting of astronomers, where their leader proposes a manned voyage to the Moon. Several brave astronomers volunteer for the journey and preparations are started. The astronomers build a bullet-shaped space ship that is to be shot out of a giant cannon. They all assemble into the ship and are shot into space. They approach the Moon, and as the Man in the Moon watches them, they hit him in the eye. This is a very famous shot from the film. They spend the night on the Moon, and it snows while they sleep. Also, comets, stars, and constellations appear throughout the night, some containing human faces. The next day, they explore the Moon finding several varieties of flora including a large mushroom that grows from one of the astronomer’s umbrella. Then, suddenly, reptilian aliens attack the astronauts, capturing them and taking them to their leader. One of the astronauts kills the leader and they all run to escape the aliens. All but one of them get in the ship, and the last one pulls the ship from off a cliff, so that it falls from the Moon onto Earth. It lands in the ocean and is then brought back to shore by two ships. This film includes several special effects, including models, extensive make-up and costuming, especially for the aliens and faces of the celestial objects, as well as beautiful scenery and props, like a starry night or intricate buildings. However, the film plays as a compilation of loosely connected shots or scenes, and there is no strong narrative structure throughout. Although it contains rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, the film keeps these elements ill-defined and ultimately, the film can only be fully understood through several viewings of key scenes as well as some research into the meaning of several vague scenes such as the first one, which could represents many different circumstances, but ultimately is supposed to be a meeting of astronomers. Though it is now regarded as a classic and innovation in cinema, Georges Méliès’s 1902 silent film Le Voyage Dans la Lun demonstrates the lack of a strong narrative structure in early cinema. It was not until years later that film editing became a purposeful, serious part of a film’s composition and production through its use by the American, Edwin S. Porter, the auteur of The Great Train Robbery (1903), who took major influence from Méliès. Today, Le Voyage Dans la Lun is looked upon as an early innovation in cinema and regarded as one of the best films ever made due to its use of effects, costuming, scenery, and cinematography.
Review of Le Voyage Dans la Lun (A Trip to the Moon)
Despite being known as an innovation and the first true science fiction film, Le Voyage Dans la Lun (1902) by Georges Méliès still suffers from a very primitive understanding of narrative plot. The film starts with a meeting of astronomers, where their leader proposes a manned voyage to the Moon. Several brave astronomers volunteer for the journey and preparations are started. The astronomers build a bullet-shaped space ship that is to be shot out of a giant cannon. They all assemble into the ship and are shot into space. They approach the Moon, and as the Man in the Moon watches them, they hit him in the eye. This is a very famous shot from the film. They spend the night on the Moon, and it snows while they sleep. Also, comets, stars, and constellations appear throughout the night, some containing human faces. The next day, they explore the Moon finding several varieties of flora including a large mushroom that grows from one of the astronomer’s umbrella. Then, suddenly, reptilian aliens attack the astronauts, capturing them and taking them to their leader. One of the astronauts kills the leader and they all run to escape the aliens. All but one of them get in the ship, and the last one pulls the ship from off a cliff, so that it falls from the Moon onto Earth. It lands in the ocean and is then brought back to shore by two ships. This film includes several special effects, including models, extensive make-up and costuming, especially for the aliens and faces of the celestial objects, as well as beautiful scenery and props, like a starry night or intricate buildings. However, the film plays as a compilation of loosely connected shots or scenes, and there is no strong narrative structure throughout. Although it contains rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, the film keeps these elements ill-defined and ultimately, the film can only be fully understood through several viewings of key scenes as well as some research into the meaning of several vague scenes such as the first one, which could represents many different circumstances, but ultimately is supposed to be a meeting of astronomers. Though it is now regarded as a classic and innovation in cinema, Georges Méliès’s 1902 silent film Le Voyage Dans la Lun demonstrates the lack of a strong narrative structure in early cinema. It was not until years later that film editing became a purposeful, serious part of a film’s composition and production through its use by the American, Edwin S. Porter, the auteur of The Great Train Robbery (1903), who took major influence from Méliès. Today, Le Voyage Dans la Lun is looked upon as an early innovation in cinema and regarded as one of the best films ever made due to its use of effects, costuming, scenery, and cinematography.
The film: